Mini shopping bag holder

Abstract

An ultra compact, lightweight, sturdy bag holder that comprises an elongated shaped body of rigid material having a predetermined cross-sectional shape and strength that can easily be carried in the palm of ones' hand (FIG. 25; FIG. 25A). The bag holder further comprises a predetermined number of apertures (FIG. 1 / 21; FIG. 2 / 21, FIG. 3 / 22) or a predetermined number of grooves (FIG. 8 / 23; FIG. 9 / 23; FIG. 10 / 23) or a vertical cut at either end of the bag holder (FIG. 5 / 24) or a combination of two apertures (FIG. 4 / 21) and one groove (FIG. 4 / 23), or one aperture (FIG. 6 / 22) and two cuts (FIG. 6 / 24) or one groove (FIG. 7 / 23) and two cuts (FIG. 7 / 24). The aperture(s), cuts and groove(s) are designed to allow the integrally formed loop handle of shopping bags to be attached to the bag holder and depending on the configuration of the bag holder to keep the shopping bag closed and to prevent the content from spilling when placed on a flat surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Not applicable.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not applicable.REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX[0003]Not applicable.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]This invention relates to shopping bag holders, specifically to an improved method of carrying plastic shopping bags and closing shopping bags during travel.[0005]Supermarkets and other merchandisers often utilize plastic bags for packaging consumer products. These bags include integrally formed loop handles that permit a user to carry a bag with its content with ease and reliability by simply gripping the handles and carrying these bags in one's hand. However, while these plastic bags may facilitate a reliable means of transporting goods, the bag loop handles have a tendency to bite into the customer's fingers causing discomfort. This is especially the case when a bag needs to be carried over a lon...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a combination of a mini bag holder and a bag closure for plastic shopping bags. It is made from a renewable source and is easy to produce in different colors. It is light, strong, ultra compact, durable, and can keep the bag closed when placed on a flat surface. It can easily carry several bags at once and is small enough to fit in a pocket or purse.

Problems solved by technology

However, while these plastic bags may facilitate a reliable means of transporting goods, the bag loop handles have a tendency to bite into the customer's fingers causing discomfort.

This is especially the case when a bag needs to be carried over a long distance and when the content of the bag is heavy.

Furthermore, the plastic bag tend to collapse when placed on a surface like a car seat, a bus floor, a car boot or other surface, with the result that its content frequently spills out.

Because of the sheer volume, discussing all of the patents as prior art, would be quite time consuming.

All four bag holders have limited usefulness in reducing discomfort when carrying a shopping bag with three out of the four keeping the shopping bag closed when placed on a flat surface.

However, the choice of material reduces greatly the amount of bags that these bag holders are able to take and the load these bag holders can withstand and even the weather condition that one of them can be used in, as it is made out of carton.

All in all, they are very restrictive in their use and their ease of use apart from their cost price and longevity because of the choice of materials like hook and pile type fastener (Bourgeois), a clumsy tab to be inserted in a slot (Franko), a vinyl type material lacking strength and the ability to close the bag (Tipp) and the use of carton (Lisbon).

Especially U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,582, Bourgeois et al, Jan. 30, 1996, could well be expensive to make as it appears that manufacturing would require considerable labor input.

Some will not be very sturdy and all large enough as to extend past both sides of the palm of a hand to allow for room for bag handles beyond that point.

Very few can keep the shopping bag closed when placed on a surface and the ones that do can be difficult to operate and expensive to manufacture.

Also, when the length of a bag holder increases, it will become more difficult to carry a heavy load.

Their main disadvantage is their large size that makes it inconvenient to carry them along when going shopping.

Because of their size and often much more complicated construction, especially when designed to keep the bags closed when placed on a surface, most or all will be quite expensive to manufacture.

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